REPORT – KIMBLEWICK (SATURDAY 28TH FEBRUARY)

Gina Andrews starred with a training and riding treble capped by Master Templar’s return from a life-threatening injury to capture the Philip Scouller Memorial Home Counties Grand National Mixed Open at the Kimblewick Hunt meeting at Kingston Blount, near Chinnor.

The 11-year-old gelding’s fate was in the balance after he broke two vertebrae in his neck following a crashing fall at Becher’s in the Randox Foxhunters’ Chase at Aintree in April.

But owner Jenny Hayward’s pride and joy was nursed back to health at Andrews’s Marton stables, near Rugby, and after finishing second at Cocklebarrow last month, Master Templar claimed his 13th win in the Sandhurst Area feature race on Saturday.

The 11-time champion rider held up the evens favourite in the four-mile marathon before making good headway on the final circuit as his Cocklebarrow conqueror Innisfree Lad cut out the running.

Soldier Unknown hit the front four from home but Andrews had Master Templar in full cry and, joining James King’s mount at the second-last, stayed on powerfully to score by six lengths with Innisfree Lad eight lengths back in third.

Andrews, winning the race for a third time after triumphs on Supreme Danehill for Alan Hill in 2018 and Haymount for husband Tom Ellis in 2019, said: “He is lucky to be alive. At Aintree when he fell he fractured two vertebrae in his neck. The vets said if he can walk out of his stable in the morning he will survive and if he can’t he won’t. Thankfully, he did.

“He had to stand in his box for six weeks and was not able to put his head down. He was a very good patient.

“Then he went out on his summer holiday back at Jenny’s and came back at the beginning of the season like nothing had happened.”

Hayward admitted: “I was petrified with him having broken his neck at Aintree. I’m thrilled. We have had such fun with this horse. He owes us nothing at all.”

Following an especially challenging wet winter, it took sterling work by Clerk of the Course Peter Naylor alongside Hill and his team of helpers from the hunt to get the course up and running for the season.

With secretary Helen Jackson overseeing the fixture, all their efforts were rewarded with Good to Soft going and competitive fields totalling 57 runners for the six-race card.

Andrews kicked off her treble when Cheytac showed the benefit of surgery to improve his breathing with a smooth success in the Print Concern PPORA Club Members Conditions Race (Level 2).

The seven-year-old went clear from the third last to coast home by seven lengths from Catch Me Quick and Charlie Marshall with the pacesetting favourite Yippee Ki Yay third.

Andrews said: “He has had a wind operation since his last run and it has really helped him. His jumping was as good as it has ever been today.”

Owner Cliff Myers added: “I have always liked Kingston Blount. It is such a nice setting. That is my first winner here although I have not had many runners.”

Entity Of Substanz provided the middle leg of Andrews’s treble when completing a four-timer with an authoritative display in the Jockey Club 0-110 Rated Series.

Sent off the 1-2 favourite, the seven-year-old grey went clear going to the second last to triumph by four lengths from the staying-on All Loved Up and Hugh Lillingston. Commander Of Ten was three-quarters of a length away in third.

Andrews said: “He is just a lovely straightforward easy horse. He handled the course very well and he is just very amenable. His confidence is high at the minute.”

Brian Crawford, who owns the gelding with Will Wales, Stuart Spence, Jonathon Fryer and Nigel Bloom, added: “We have moved up a grade. I thought it was a competitive race and when the other competitors came to him he quickened, which is quite an asset. Hopefully he will turn out to be a good one.”

Commentator Robbie Scott had the thrill of calling home his own Hang Out as the winner of the Four and Five Years Old Maiden, sponsored by The Friends of the Sandhurst Area.

While the day’s entertainment included a Family Dog Show, the dogs were certainly barking for the Chris Barber-trained five-year-old, who went off a well-supported 7-4 second favourite for the 2m 5f contest

And Scott was a model professional as he described an exciting finish with Hang Out and Ed Doggrell collaring Laudable going to the last before holding of Sam Lee’s rallying mount by three-quarters of a length.

Bought by Barber and Irish friends for €18,000 at the Goffs Land Rover Arkle Sale Part 2 2024, the son of Idaho became Scott’s property for the day after he won a ‘drinking’ bet with the Herefordshire trainer at the Wessex Area Point-to-Point Awards Evening.

Moments after commentating on his horse’s win, Scott said: “I thought I was rather calm, although it was pretty terrifying. I just didn’t want to say anything stupid and didn’t want to call the race early and get it wrong.

“Chris challenged me to a bet and lost. This was the stake. He said put your name on one and you can call it. This will never happen again for me.”

Barber said of his winner: “He is a big backward baby and has taken a lot of time. He is similar to the horse (Couer D’Alene) I won this race with last year. It was a good performance and hopefully he will be sold now.”

Doggrell completed a double to make it five winners from his last six rides with a decisive victory on Farfromaway for Francesca and Charlie Poste in the Ashley Wilde Maiden Conditions Race.

The five-year-old made rapid headway on the final circuit to take up the running from Master Potter at the third-last before powering home by nine lengths from Lily Bradstock’s mount.

Doggrell commented: “He just took a minute to get into it. They went fast early on but I knew he keeps galloping because I have ridden him before. He got going down the hill and won nicely in the end.”

Charlie, who owns the five-year-old with his trainer-wife at their Ettington stables, near Stratford, said: “We came with the intention of him being sold for good but now he is building up a bit of form my feeling is to carry on with him until the May sale. He will be a fun horse.”

Bargain buy The Dancing Tree followed up his Charing win in good style for Aston Rowant trainer Hill and champion rider King in the concluding Field Seymour Parkes PPORA Club Members Restricted Race.

With The Sunday Night Partnership out in force to see their latest recruit, the seven-year-old gelding took up the running from Clonagoose at the third-last in the 2m 5f contest, before sweeping clear to triumph by six lengths from Ed Vaughan’s mount.

Hill’s son and assistant, Joe, reported: “I bought him at the Tattersalls Ireland May Sale. I liked his form. He had had a few problems. That was why he was so cheap. I thought he would be €10-15k and I got him for €2,000.

“He has had a wind operation. He was not that easy to train at the start but since we have got a run into him he has been thriving. He could progress through the ranks and looks very versatile”

King added: “He will be plenty of fun going forward for the owners and Joe and Alan. On better ground he will be even better.”